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For the first time in 300 years, the renowned Shaolin Temple held a ritual on Thursday to initiate 600 believers into monkhood. On that same day, millions of monks and believers nationwide observed the Buddha bath festival which usually includes the washing of all statues of the Buddha. The ceremony used to be considered an official ritual to recognize a believer into true monkhood. Shi Yongxin, leader of Shaolin Temple and vice- president of the Buddhist Association of China, said that Buddhism in China has embarked on a "golden era" of development with a rapidly increasing number of believers. According to Shi, China has about 100 million registered religious believers, most of whom are Buddhists and Taoists. "They form an indispensable force to construct a harmonious society," he said. Shi said the ritual was suspended for 300 years because the altar where the ritual was held was destroyed. The 26-meter-high three-storey alter was restored last year at the temple, located in Dengfeng, Central China's Henan Province. The 600 Buddhists were selected out of 1,000 pious Buddhists nationwide. Shi said that only Buddhists who have passed a long-term inspection and are believed to have a "pre-destined lot" with Buddhism will be allowed to take the ritual and admitted by the temple. "Only Buddhists who practice Buddhism to a high level can be tonsured and allowed to take the ritual," Shi said. The ritual will last 28 days during which time the 600 monks will listen to doctrines, learn Buddhism rituals and manners in the temple. Both Buddhism and Taoism seem to be attractting more believers. An international forum on the "Daode Jing", a classic of Taoism, was held last month and lured 300 Taoists from around the world who wanted to explore the true essence of the classic text.

The four-day Beijing air quality exercise held earlier in the month was met with mixed reaction.Diverse opinions were expressed by private car owners and public transport users.During the four days, cars bearing odd and even license plates were allowed on the roads on alternate days to see what effect this would have on the reduction of air pollution.According to a survey by Beijing Youth Daily, 61.9 percent of car owners opposed the practice in a long run while 78.2 percent of public transport users lauded it. The survey covered 3,000 residents.On the positive side, the exercise between August 17 and 20, showed a reduction in haze and smoother traffic flow.On the negative side, it has sparked further debate on the number of vehicles in the capital. About 1,000 new cars are registered every day in the city.Car owners argued that smoother traffic comes at the expense of individuals' convenience."Does being a car owner mean you have limited rights? That would be cruel and inhuman," Wang Hongsheng, head of the Volkswagen Polo club in Beijing, said.Fifty-seven percent of car owners shared his opinion.Among non-drivers, 21.9 percent did not think the even-odd plate exercise was a reasonable, scientific way to gauge air quality."It is an arbitrary way of stripping car owners of their rights. They pay for the convenience," a respondent said.Apart from the purchase price, the cost of owning a car in Beijing ranges from 10,000 yuan to 30,000 yuan (,300 to ,900) a year, he said.The survey also showed 36 percent of car owners were in favor of "public transport if managed well"."People are fed up with the poor condition of buses, and the metro where people are packed like sardines," another said.On options to improve traffic conditions, 49.9 percent said efficiency and lowering public transport fares should top the government's agenda instead of restricting car-ownership.Twenty-six percent of respondents said more roads and bridges should be built to reduce congestion, 14.5 percent were in favor of more flexible parking fees in relation to localities, and 9.5 percent said the use of bicycles, and walking should be promoted.

Hong Kong' benchmark Hang Seng Index plunged 5.18 percent on Monday to close at its lowest level this year, drawn by growing troubles in the global credit markets and weakness in the Chinese mainland bourses.     The Hang Seng Index fell 1,152.50 points, or 5.18 percent, to close at 21,084.61 on Monday, its lowest level in nearly seven months, amid worries on the near collapse of U.S. investment bank Bear Stearns.     Over the weekend, the subprime mortgage crisis claimed another major victim -- Wall Street's fifth largest investment bank Bear Stearns. Wall Street fell sharply on Friday on the news, followed by Asian markets.     The benchmark Hang Seng Index opened at 21,318.03 and fluctuated between 21,041.26 and 21,473.40 during the session. Turnover was at 94.37 billion HK dollars (12.16 billion U.S. dollars), up from last Friday's 88.28 billion HK dollars (11.32 billion U.S. dollars).     Three of the four major categories lost ground. The Properties lost most at 5.73 percent, followed by the Commerce and Industry at 5.58 percent and the Finance at 5.32 percent. The Utilities, the only gainer, edged up 0.21 percent.     The biggest decliners in the local benchmark index were mainly China-based companies. Index heavyweight China Mobile fell 4.6 percent to 102.50 HK dollars. Smaller rival China Unicom slid 4.6 percent to 16.32 HK dollars.     Shenhua Energy fell 8.9 percent to 32.95 HK dollars, and Ping An Insurance was down 7.6 percent at 53.20 HK dollars.     The Chinese mainland's biggest insurer, China Life Insurance, slid 7.4 percent to 25.70 HK dollars. Non-life insurer PICC P&C tumbled 11.5 percent to 6.48 HK dollars.     Air China, Chinese mainland's biggest international carrier, lost 50 cents or 8.5 percent at 5.40 dollars as oil continued its relentless climb to a fresh high of 111.80 in Asian trade Monday on a weaker dollar. The company will report its 2007 results later Monday. The mainland's biggest airline by fleet size, China Southern Airlines skidded 73 cents or 12.5 percent to 5.13 dollars.     PetroChina, Asia's biggest oil and gas company, dropped 6.6 percent to 9.42 HK dollars. Major oil firm Sinopec fell 8.1 percent to 6.14 HK dollars on investor concerns about steep losses at its refining division given the recent surge in crude prices.     Property stocks tumbled, in line with the downward trend in the overall market, and on reports of softening housing prices in the city's new territories.     Sino Land Co, which has the highest exposure to the local residential market, fell 11 percent to 15.42 HK dollars.     Asian billionaire Li Ka-shing's property flagship Cheung Kong Holdings, fell 5.7 percent to 99.05 HK dollars.     Hong Kong's biggest property developer, Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd (SHK Properties), slumped 4.8 percent to 112.60 HK dollars.     CLP Holdings and Hong Kong Electric were the only gainers in Monday's trade as CLP Holdings up 1.1 percent to 65.30 HK dollars and Hong Kong Electric rose 3.3 percent to 50.90 HK dollars.

HANGZHOU -- China needs to "free itself from conservative ideas" if it wants to further open the country to the world, a gathering of foreign affairs officials concluded at meeting held in East China's Zhejiang Province on Tuesday.Officials in charge of foreign affairs at both the provincial and municipal levels agreed on future policies to open up their respective regions wider to the world."We need to free ourselves from conservative ideas, seek new ways to expand economically and have culture exchanges with other cities and regions in the world," said a statement issued at the meeting.The officials agreed that foreign affairs departments at local levels were facing great challenges which also offer great opportunities. They discussed the ways to implement the guidelines of the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in their foreign affairs work, the statement said.Opening wider to the world will contribute to China's drive to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects, realize peaceful development and create a harmonious world, it said.Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also addressed the meeting on China's foreign policies and international relations.

SHANGHAI: Preliminary investigations showed improper maintenance work had caused a Shanghai gas station explosion on Saturday, which saw four killed and 40 injured.A team of officials from related government agencies is investigating the blast at the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) outlet in Pudong District, reported the Xinmin Evening News Sunday.The station had earlier been suspended on October 11 for safety concerns and was scheduled for reopening Sunday.CNPC did not respond to media queries on the explosion.Most of those injured from the incident have been discharged from hospital.Two of the 29 blast victims sent to Punan Hospital died while 26 were discharged Sunday morning.A 49-year-old woman who was hit on the head by a piece of blast debris is still under observation at the hospital.She was said to have been in her apartment close to the station when the explosion shattered her window.The 13 other injured who were sent for treatment at the Pudong branch of Renji Hospital have been discharged.The explosion on Saturday occurred at 7:50 am in the junction of South Yanggao and Pusan roads.Two maintenance workers on the site were killed instantly. Witnesses said one of the workers was blown five stories high before landing nearby.A woman who was cycling 1 km away from the station was hit by a piece of blast debris and died in hospital.A motorcyclist, later identified as Wang Dong from Anhui Province, also died after debris hit him on the head.He had taken off his helmet to answer a call on his mobile phone.The Shanghai Evening News said Sunday that visits to several gas stations in the area found unsafe practices.Drivers lining up for gas smoked and used mobile phones without being stopped by station employees.The blast also damaged a bus that had stopped near the station and injured passengers on board. A convenience store, motel and several other nearby buildings were also hit.Traffic disrupted by the explosion resumed Sunday.